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Gary Weber is an American scientist, author, and teacher of Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta who has been featured in recent work on neuroscience and meditation.

Life
While a Ph.D student at Penn State University, Weber first noted that his brain was producing thoughts that were harmful and irrelevant to his work and his life. As a scientist, he decided to examine these thoughts in a systematic and secular manner, in order to see if he could clear his brain of these useless thoughts. His one condition was that he would do this inquiry outside of religion, as a form of experimenting with his own brain. Shortly thereafter he experienced a temporary “kensho” after coming across a buddhist poem, which provided him with a glimpse of a non-dual state.

For the next 25 years, Weber explored a number of techniques for examining his thoughts, eventually using various forms of yoga, zen buddhism, and chanting, as well as “self-enquiry’ technique of Ramana Maharshi. One morning, “He got into a yoga pose – a pose he had done thousands of times before – and when he moved out of it his thoughts stopped. Permanently.”

In 2004, Weber he retired from his position as Associate Vice President of Research at Penn State University and began writing and giving talks on his experience.

Neuroscience and Nonduality
Weber has been involved in a number of significant neuroscience studies including studies at Yale, NYU, IONS, Baumann Institute, and CSNSC.

As a retired scientist, executive and military officer, Weber has become known for combining a scientific approach to non-duality with traditional techniques of meditation, yoga, and chanting. He is a frequent speaker at the Science and Nonduality Conference and has participated in several high-profile studies on neuroscience and meditation. He is the author of three books, has given numerous talks and interviews, and, with Richard Doyle, has produced a series of online video dialogues on questions related to spirituality, science, and non-duality.

Much of his approach to nonduality focuses on studies in neuroscience, explaining and examining the methodologies of these studies, providing updates on new studies, and applying them to nondual practice.

Teachings
Despite his involvement in and use of yoga, Buddhism, chanting, and Advaita Vedanta, Weber does not ascribe to any religious tradition nor has he formed any formal organization for his teachings. Instead, he emphasizes a “Do-it-yourself” approach, individual experimentation, and small group teaching. Weber emphasizes meditation and self inquiry (Atma vichara) to wither and eventually extinguish the activity of self referential thought in the default mode network.

Filmography
Weber is featured in the 2019 documentary Chasing the Present, along with Russell Brand, Rupert Spira, and Marina Abrahmovic.